Page 15 - The Hobbit

parlour. This is what he heard, Gloin speaking: "Humph!" (or some snort more or

less like that). "Will he do, do you think? It is all very well for Gandalf to talk
about this hobbit being fierce, but one shriek like that in a moment of excitement
would be enough to wake the dragon and all his relatives, and kill the lot of us. I

think it sounded more like fright than excitement! In fact, if it bad not been for the
sign on the door, I should have been sure we had come to the wrong house. As
soon as I clapped eyes on the little fellow bobbing and puffing on the mat, I had
my doubts. He looks more like a grocer-than a burglar!"

Then Mr. Baggins turned the handle and went in. The Took side had won. He
suddenly felt he would go without bed and breakfast to be thought fierce. As for
little fellow bobbing on the mat it almost made him really fierce. Many a time

afterwards the Baggins part regretted what he did now, and he said to himself:
"Bilbo, you were a fool; you walked right in and put your foot in it."
"Pardon me," he said, "if I have overheard words that you were saying. I don't
pretend to understand what you are talking about, or your reference to burglars,

but I think I am right in believing" (this is what he called being on his dignity)
"that you think I am no good. I will show you. I have no signs on my door-it was
painted a week ago-, and I am quite sure you have come to the wrong house. As

soon as I saw your funny faces on the door-step, I had my doubts. But treat it as
the right one. Tell me what you want done, and I will try it, if I have to walk from
here to the East of East and fight the wild Were-worms in the Last Desert. I bad a
great-great-great-granduncle once, Bullroarer Took, and —"

"Yes, yes, but that was long ago," said Gloin. "I was talking about you. And I
assure you there is a mark on this door-the usual one in the trade, or used to be.
Burglar wants a good job, plenty of Excitement and reasonable Reward, that's
how it is usually read. You can say Expert Treasure-hunter instead of Burglar if

you like. Some of them do. It's all the same to us. Gandalf told us that there was a
man of the sort in these parts looking for a Job at once, and that he had arranged
for a meeting here this Wednesday tea-time."
"Of course there is a mark," said Gandalf. "I put it there myself. For very good

reasons. You asked me to find the fourteenth man for your expedition, and I chose
Mr. Baggins. Just let any one say I chose the wrong man or the wrong house, and
you can stop at thirteen and have all the bad luck you like, or go back to digging

coal."
He scowled so angrily at Gloin that the dwarf huddled back in his chair; and
when Bilbo tried to open his mouth to ask a question, he turned and frowned at
him and stuck oat his bushy eyebrows, till Bilbo shut his mouth tight with a snap.